What Is Your Spinal Cord?

Your spinal cord starts at the base of your brain and runs down your back. It has many nerves that run to and from it.

The spinal cord carries information from your brain and sends it out these nerves to all areas of your body. If you want to walk, the brain sends information down the spinal cord and out the nerves to give information to the muscles used to walk. These muscles are activated and in response, you can walk.

The spinal cord also receives information from all areas of your body. Nerves take this information into your spinal cord and then the spinal cord sends it up and into your brain. If someone steps on your toe, the information is sent through nerves and into your spinal cord and then to your brain which makes it possible for you to feel the pain. Basically, your spinal cord acts to relay information between the brain and the rest of your body.